The invention relates to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine, having at least two cylinder heads, one engine control unit and actuators for the electromagnetic valve control.
The actuators for the electromagnetic valve control, which are designed to form a separate component, essentially comprise an opening magnet and a closing magnet that are connected to each other by at least one housing part. The opening magnet and the closing magnet are electromagnets that respectively consist of one coil and one yoke. An armature plate made of a ferromagnetic material is located between the opening magnet and the closing magnet. By supplying current to the coil for the opening magnet or the coil for the closing magnet, the armature plate is moved in the respective direction. The opening magnet has a through opening for a push rod, which connects the armature plate with an actuator spring plate. An actuator spring is arranged between the actuator spring plate and the housing part or the outside of the housing magnet. Together with a gas shuttle valve, an actuator for the electromagnetic valve control forms a functional unit, wherein the gas shuttle valve is pulled into the valve seat of the cylinder head by means of a valve spring and a valve spring plate, corresponding to a conventional cylinder head with camshafts.
If a functional unit consisting of an actuator and a gas shuttle valve is mounted on the internal combustion engine, the actuator spring plate and the valve spring plate are pushed against each other. In the resting position of the functional unit, the armature plate is positioned exactly in the center between the opening magnet and the closing magnet. The gas shuttle valve in that case is in the center position between the valve seat for the cylinder head where the valve is closed and the maximum opened position for the valve.
The actuators for the electromagnetic valve control are advantageously operated in a device where the actuators are arranged inside the actuator wells of an actuator support and where the actuator support is screwed onto the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. A cooled intermediate plane covers the actuator support. The cooled intermediate plane is provided with through openings for the connections of a pressed screen. The pressed screen is embedded in a multifunctional, injection-molded plastic part with thereon arranged actuator control unit, which is connected to the pressed screen. A covering that surrounds the actuator control unit covers the cooled intermediate plane. The actuator control unit is connected to an engine control unit that is arranged outside of the covering.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method for controlling an internal combustion engine with at least two cylinder heads, one engine control unit, and actuators, for electromagnetic value control. This method describes the connection between the actuator control unit and the engine control units and is also suitable for use with internal combustion engines having a plurality of cylinder heads.